Broom rake



Jan. 2, 1951 A H. T. JENKINS 2,536,607

BRooM RAKE Filed Oct. 22, 1947 2 Sheets-Shea?I l Jan. 2, 1951 H. T. JENKINS BROOM RAKE Filed 001'.. 22, 1947 Patented Jan. 2:, 1.55251 UNITED STATES 4TENT o-FFIC-e BR'ooM BAKE lomer flsrenkins,fhcago,V Ill.

' Application october 22, 1947, serial No. 781,380 vlolaims; (c1. .t6-400.18)

My present invention relates to an improvement in rakes and like devices.

. My invention is-particularly adaptable for use in sweep rakes for cleaning lawns and the like of leaves and other debris, in which the rake is adapted to be used with a sweeping motion i..e. reciprocatedtransversely forwardly of the user as distinguished from the conventional raking operation in which the device is positioned; forwardly of the person and then. drawn along the ground bent at their freel ends toestand in one direction and. with other of theY prongs having their free ends bent in the opposite direction so that the prong means by being manipulated with a sweeping motion is operativel inf both directions of movement to gatherl leaves and other debris in spaced windrows..

It isv affurther object of my invention toprovide a rake or the like adapted to be manipulated with a sweeping motion/comprising vsweeping means and -handle'ineansto one end of which the sweeping means: is. secured, and with the handle means being disposed angularly to the sweeping means so that when held by the'user with the. sweeping means disposed forwardly in weeping motion 2.

conveniently to prevent the tendency of. handle means to'rotate about its axis.

A further object of my invention is to provide a handle means for a rake or broom or the like having means to compensate for thek eiective shortening: and lengthening of the handleY means when the device is used with a sweeping motion as aforesaid. The latter .object may be accomplis-hed in accordance with myrinvention Ainqa variety of ways with the preferred means ci so doing comprising forming the handle means of a pair of telescopic members' movable relativevto each other when the device; is beingV usedl with; a sweeping lmotion to provide for yautomatically vary-ing thel eectiverlength ofv they handle means A still further object of my inventionV` is to'pree vide a second hand grip means disposed .inter-f mediate'the `ends of the handle means and which together withl the.. irst grip means above men vthe' tioned providcsfor the'convenient manipulation position for use: the handle angles downwardly outwardly forwardly of the user. The purpose of such arrangement of the handle and sweeping means is to provide for disposition of the sweeping means forwardly of the user in a' position manipulated with. a sweeping motion. .Such

sweeping means may vary widely in form in accordance with my present invention and several forms thereof. suitable Ifor use in a sweep rake `are hereinafter disclosed in detail.

In arranging the parts of the rake or other` like device in the manner last described the handle and prong means of the rake or, for example, the handle and flber sweeping member of a broom, in effect form a crank with the result of that the handle means tends to rotate about its longitudinal axis in the hands ofthe user. It is a further object of my invention to avoid this disadvantage, and in order to accomplish such object I propose to embodyv in a rake or the like a first hand grip means associated with the handle means which lmay be held at right angles to the axis' of the handle means providing a lever which when 'grasped inlvone hand may be used l of therakebythe'user. v

The second grip means preferably is of' a char-'f acter which may be movable freely axially nt the handle means and also rotatably about the axis of the latter to permit easy Vmanipulation of the rake or other device'. In the preferred form gf my invention one of the two handle grip means may be grasped .in one hand. to prevent rotative movement of the handle means about its axis, and the second hand grip means may be' grasped in thel other hand for cone' veniently guiding the rake or other device in the sweeping movement of the latter without undue strain on the user even inthe handling of heavy loads. .f

It is a further object of 'my inventiontoV .pro-f vide a plurality of 'set-screw means associated with the telescopic members ofthe handle means, and with theA intermediate or second hand grip where the latter is conveniently disposedv 'to be means OISEIBCVSW pfvdmg for I'evemove ment betweenthe partsv off the rake as desired and aswill be described in detail hereinafter.

Otheri objects, and advantages of my: invention will appear from the detail description.

:Now in order toaacduaint those skilled artwith the manner yof v'construction andfutilizi. ing rakes and'y like devices in accordance with myv present invention, I shall' describezin--cons nection with the accompanying drawings certain preferred embodiments of my invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view ofv a preferred form of rake constructed in accordance withl my invention;

Figure 2 a detail substantially horizontal sectional View taken substantiallyV on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 looking in the direction indi-V cated by the arrow; Y Y

Figure 3 is a detail substantially vertical see.

60 tional view with cert-ain parts being: shown in elevation through the intermediate hand grip means of the rake of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a. side elevational view of a portion of the lower end of the rake showing the manner in which the handle means is attached to the prong means of the rake of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a front elevational view of a modiiied form of hand grip means for the upper end of a handle means for rake or the like;

Figure 6 is a side elevational view of the upper hand grip means shown in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a detail sectional view along the lines of the view of Figure 3 and showing a modified form of intermediate hand grip means for a rake or other device of the character described; f Figure 8 is a side elevational view of a modified form of prong means for a rake such as shown in Figure 1; 1 Figure 9 is a detail perspective View of the outer ends of a plural-ity of prongs, providing a construction suitable for use in the rake of Figure 1;

Figure 10 is a partial perspective view of another form of prong means for the rake of my present invention;

. Figure 11 is a partial perspective view of still another form of prong means for a rake of my present invention; and

Figure 12 is a partial perspective view of still another form of prong means having utility for use in a rake of the type shown in Figure l of the drawings.

- .Referring now to Figure 1 of the drawings I have shown a rake constructed in accordance with my invention comprising a handle means indicated generally at I4I a prong means indicated generally at I5 and secured to the lower 'end of the handle means I4, a rst hand grip means indicated generally at I6, and disposed at the upper end of the handle means I2, and a second hand grip means I1 disposed intermediate the ends of Vthe handle means I4.

- In the form of the rake shown in Figure 1 the handle means Vcomprises a pair of tubular upper and lower telescopic members I8 and I9 which are formed, respectively, with an axially extending ridge having sliding engagementin! aconformably formed' groove 22 substantially of U-shape in cross-section as shown in Figure v2A which provides for relative axial movement of.

themembers I8 and I9 with respect to each other but 'prevents relativerotative movement of the members I8l and I9 with respect to each other. Aset screw shown at 23 has threaded engagement in a boss 24 welded to the outer periphery ofthe outer tubular member I9 adjacent the upper end thereof. The set screw 23 is adapted when threaded inwardly to bear against the inner tubular member I8 so that if desired the members I8 and I9 may be secured together to prevent relative axial .movement therebetween. @The prong means I5 shown in Figure 1 is of a character adapted for the gathering of leaves o1' other debris collecting on a lawn or the like, but it will be understood that in the broader aspects of my invention that the prong means I5 may comprise any suitable form of sweeping means such as brous members or the like in the nature of a broom as distinguished from the sheet metal prong means shown in the drawings. The prong .means I5 as shown more clearly in Figures 1 and 4 comprises a resilient sheet metal member 25 having a plurality of prongs 26 with the' sheet metal member 25 being adapted to be secured between a pair of transversely extending frame members 21 formed with longi-f tudinally extending curled upper and lower edges with the pair of upper curled edges 28 of the members 21 being disposed between the conformably curved ends 29-29 of a pair of bracket members 330. The bracket members 30-30 are secured to plate portion 32 of an end cap member 33 by means of set screw means 34. The set screw means 34 provides for adjustment of the cap member 33 lengthwise of the prong means I5 and for adjusting the angular position of the handle means I4 with respect to the prong means I5. The cap member 33 as shown receives the y outer lower end of the outer tubular member I9 with the member I9 being secured therein as by a transversely extending pin 36.

The rst hand grip means IB above referred to is suitably disposed at the upper end of the inner telescopic member I8 and comprises a tubular hand grip member 40 formed at its outer end with enlarged end flanges 42-42. The hand grip member 40 is mounted for axial movement in a T fitting 43 fixed to the upper outer end of the inner telescopic member I8 as by a bolt 44. The rake is arranged so that the handle means I4 normally is disposed so as to extend angularly downwardly forwardly of the person with the showing -in Figure 1 illustrating the rake as it appears from the side. With this arrangement of parts the handle means I4 when reciprocated transversely forwardly of the person is caused by engagement of the prong means with the ground to be rotated about its longitudinal axis. In order to prevent such rotation of handle means I4 with the handle grip member I4 is disposed in the position shown in Figure 1 and when grasped in one hand provides a lever extending at right angles to the aXis of the handle means I4 for conveniently and easily preventing such rotative movement of the handle means I4 about its axis. As indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1 the hand grip member 40 may be shifted to the dotted line position shown in the drawings and which together with the adjustment provided by the screw means 34 permits changing the angularity of the handle means I4 with respect to the prong means I5 and for the disposal of the hand grip member 40 in a position convenient for either left and right handed persons. The intermediate hand grip means II as shown in Figures l and 3 comprises a bushing 50 having annular ange 5I at at its upper end and which bushing is mounted for movement both axially and rotatively about the outer tubular member I9 of the handle means I4. A collar 52 is disposed about the bushing 5I between the annular flange 5I and is retained by a ring member 53 threaded on the lower end of the bushings 5I, and which ring member 53 is adapted to be secured in position by set screw 54 having threaded engagement with the sleeve portion of the bushing 5U. The inner end of set screw 54 is also adapted to bear against the outer surface of the outer telescopic member I9 for preventing, if desired, relative axial and rotatable movement of the bushing 5U with respect to the handle member I9. A hand grip member 55Y has a set screw 56 pivotally mounted therein as about a bolt 51 with the handle 55 being adapted to rotate the screw 53 to cause the inner end of the same to bear against the periphery of the collar 52 with respect to the bushing 59. The bolt 51 has a wing nut threaded therein which may be drawn tight to prevent pivotal movement of the hand grip means 55 about the bolt means 57 or which may be made relatively loose to provide for pivotal movement; of; the .hand grip' member; 55 in the-path-indicatedffby `the dotted linesiin Figuresl' and' 3'. Assuming that; the hand grip: means Is'I-s is arranged" withA the set. screws 5.4i ande'. 55| loosened and the set screw.' 2 3 L tightenedrit will. be observed that; upon the graspingof. the: hand gripmember 5524 in, one hand? and the hand: grpemember. of thev first hand: gripV means lliy irrtheotherhand that .the rakeA may; beiused with 'a1 sweeping-mm tioni asA previously described witir the bushirrgj and thezcollar 52being movable. axiallyfofrhandle means. I4 to.take Careof theeffective:lengthenh ing and. shorteningA` of4 thee. handle means inzthe aforesaid sweeping.motionlof.- thezrakez. Al'sorreleative-rotationof collar. 52 about. bushingfBll and of.' the bushing. 5I; With'respect' of' the; outerf'tubuelarmember I9 permitsfree' rotatable movement:

ofi the hand'grip. means I.'| abonttthe tubnlarrpor.h tion; I 9Y enabling the'. convenient` manipulation; of thez-raker. Itwillzbe observed thatthe: set screw 54 when. engaged withi the outer tubular; member I 9 prevents the: relativeV axial shifting-3 movement of? the hand: grip means I"I with4 respect ofV the outer: tubular. member4 I9, and. insuch instances it is` preferable that. the.: set screw1 23-` between the outer" and Vinnerftubular members be released: so

thati the effective: lengthening and` shortening of the.v handle-:means I4'is accommodated by the rel'- ative telescopic axial movement. of` theA membersV I8' and` IS. withrespectv toA eachother. However,l

if the set:screw-23. is tightened to prevent the-releative.- axialr movement betweenthe membersI I-8 and", I9 then it is preferred thatv set screw541be released to provide for: operation offthe rake in tha-manner aforesaidby permitting relative `axial movement of the bushing with respectoff: the outer'tubular member: I 9.

In. Figures 5 and 6 I haveshown a: modiiied form of hand grip meansy I6' for the upperY end ofhandlemeans I4'- forra rake such'as'with a tubular member I8" adaptedY tohave telescopic en;- gagement with a second tubularmembersuch as themember I9 shown in: Figure l. In then form ofthe-invention` shown in Figures-5- and; 6 al thin resilient steel strap 60 ,is xed at .one endwithin a flattened portionf62 of' theY tubular. member: I8 Vand atitsotheryend itis secured within a; flattenedend- 63;l of a, hand grip member. 64 with the opposite endsof: the steel springmemb'er- 'being secured. to the vflattened portions 62 and 63. or the member 'I8' and i513Y as. by` a'. plurality, of.' rivets shown at 65. In this form of the invention-.the-

hand; grip member 65 normally extends lengthwise of the handle member I8 but the spring member 6U isl sul'ciently resilient so that the hand grip member 64.may be disposedandeasily held at right angles to the axis. of,V shaft portion I8'. The hand grip member Bdwhen disposed in the latter'position has the same function as that already described in connection with the hand f grip member 40. of.. the..nrsthand` grip means I6 above described.

Referring now. to. liigureV 75 I have shown a modiiied form. of a second or-'intermediatehand grip means'rIfI? withthe parts-ofthis modication which areithe .same astthemodication described in connection..with-Figures l andv 3 bearing the 6 grip/member 55 `and. the set screw' G8. In` this formV ofthe invention the hand grip'r member55I with thez set screw 59v released provide for subi stantial" universal movement of handle 55 with respect ofthe set'screw 63 and when thesetscrew B9 is in tightened position rotation of the hand grip member 55 is adapted to effect engagement of "the set screw 68 with the bushing 50 to'prevent rotative movement of" the collar A52v with 'respect' of' the bushing 50- in the mannerA alreadyv de scribed'.

In Figure 8 I have shownv a modified form of prong means I5 in which the several prongs IIJ extend angularly inwardlytoward' each other and are'L secured as previously described between a pairof` appropriately formed plate members 21 having upper and lower curled edges 28' and With'- the bracketmeans comprising a pair offclampi'ng plates' 29' as previously described, adapted* to have clamping engagement with the upper curled" edges 28'. As' before a set screw 34' is provided' for attaching plate 32' of end cap-member 33K' to theA clampplates 29 and' to provide'` for pivotal adjustment of the lower shaft portion I9' of a handle means I4 tothe prong assembly;

Referring' now to Figures 9 through 12 I' have shownv several forms of' prong means having util` ity in a sweep rake of the type above described.

In Figure 9- I have shown a prong means I2 comprising a plurality ofindividual prongs 1.3 of thin spring sheet metalin which each ofy the prongs 'I3' is splitlongitudinally and substantially centrally of the outer ends thereof' to provide each with a pair'of fingers 15-15. The end'sf15 of-'each of the prongs are rounded and bentinop= 1 posite directions sov that when they` are assembled f at their opposite ends in a prongV supporting structure such as shown generally at I5 in Figure- 1 the free ends of prongs extend in opposite directions with the result that When the rake is moved with a sweeping motion leaves and'l other debris is gathered in spaced lengthwise extending windrows at the limits of the sweepingA stroke in opposite directions.

As shown iny Figur@` 10T instead" of theK prongs being; slit at their outer ends an arrangement: may belp'rovided in which a plurality'of'prongs T7 are arranged so that alternate prongs extendn opposite-directions to provide for a-raking actionV inboth: directions of movement of' the rake forv` Wardly't'ransversely of' the person. In this `form ofthe-invention the prongs areof tapering formation so that" the'lfree ends are flexibly'andare adaptedto yieldingly engageA the ground.

In Figurel 1l of the drawings'Ihave shown an other embodiment of a prong means for use in the raise` of my present ir'ivention in which the serveralprongsY 'I8 are provided with a pairl of slits at their outer' free ends to provideY three iinge'rs 19'; 8E and Slifer each prong member 181 Inthe arrangement of the prong means shown in tliis'lgure-a' pair of each three ngers ofl` each prong is bent in the same direction, and with" the other-ofthe three fingers being Abent in the Yopposite` direction. Also in adjacent' prongs the fingers are oppositely` arranged to provide` thev saine number of prongs'extending in eachdirece tion when a rake is composed of a plurality of such prongs'. f,

In'the embodiment ofv the prong means" shown in Figure 12 the several prongs 85' asA in the prongmeans of Figure 1l are provided'with a p alr 'of slits at their outer free ends; butin this arrange'- ment one of the outer fingers extends in one direction, the other outer nger extends in the opposite direction and the intermediate finger lies in the plane of the sheet spring steel member for which the prong is formed. In this form of rake 'as in the previously described rakes the prong means is effective to sweep in both directions of a sweeping motion.

While I have shown and described what I consider to be the preferred embodiments of my inventicn it will be readily understood that various modifications and rearrangements may be made therein without departing' from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. In a rake or the like adapted to be used with sweeping motion reciprocating the same transverseiy iorwardl;7 of the person comprising, telescopic handle means, sweeping means at one end of said handle means, said handle means and said sweeping means being arranged so that said handle means extends angularly upwardly and outwardly frczn said sweeping means toward the person, the longitudinal axis of said handle means lying within a plane defined by said sweeping means, and hand grip means at the other end of said handle means and in transverse disposition therewith to prevent rotative movement of the latter about its axis when said rake is used with a sweeping motion.

2. In a rake or the like adapted to be used with a sweeping motion by reciprocating the ;A .same transversely forwardly of the person comprising, telescopic handle means, sweeping means at one end of said handle means, said handle means and said sweeping means being arranged so that said handle means extends angularly upwardly and outwardly from said sweeping means toward the person, said handles longitudinal axis lying within a plane dened by said sweepling means; a rst hand grip means at the other end of said handle means, and a second hand grip means intermediate the ends of said handle means, disposed transversely thereof and angularly adjustable relative thereto.

3. In a rake or the like adapted to be used with a sweeping motion by reciprocating the same transversely forwardly of the person comprising, telescopic handle means, sweeping means at one end of said handle means, said handle means and said sweeping means being arranged so that said handle means extends angularly upwardly and outwardly from said sweeping means toward the person, said handles longitudinal axis lying within a plane defined by said sweeping means.; a rst hand grip means at the other end of said handle means and disposed transversely thereof .to prevent rotation of said handle means .about its axis when said rake or the like is used :with a sweeping motion, and a secondv hand grip means intermediate the ends of said handle means movable axially of the latter in the sweeping motion of the rake or the like, disposed transversely thereof and angularly adjustable relative thereto.

' 4. Prong means for a rake, comprising a plurality of resilient prongs arranged in side by side relation having their upper ends integrally interconnected whereby said prongs all lie substantially within a single plane, each of said prongs having lower ground-engaging, finger members of equal length, certain ones of which 7 are bent in one direction out of said plane and others of which are bent in an opposite direction out of said plane.

others of which are bent angularlyin an oppo.-

site direction out of said common plane whereby no two of said ngers lie within the same plane which is transversely disposed with respect to said rst mentioned plane.

6. Prong means for use in a sweep type rake adapted for lateral arcuate motion for alternately sweeping refuse to either end of its arcuate swing, comprising in combination, a plurality of resilient prong members formed of relatively lat metal strips, having greater width than thickness; said prongs being arranged in side-by-side, in line relation and having their lateraledges, as deiined by said metals thickness, being in side-by-side, spaced relation so that said prongs lie substantially within a single common plane, a plurality of resilient, groundengaging ngers formed integrally from and'at the lower end of each of said prongs, each' of said fingers having greater Width than thickness and being bent in angular relation to one side of said prongs common plane, some in one di-I rection and others in an opposite direction whereby no two of said fingers contain points lying within a common plane which is disposed transversely with respect to said prongs common plane.

7. Prong means for use with a rake of the class described, comprising in combination, a plurality of lresilient prong members commonly interconnected at their upper ends so as to lie in side-by-side relation to dene a single plane common to all of said prongs, said prongs each having greater width than thickness, a plurality of ground-engaging, nger members formed integrally from and at the lower end of said prongs, some of which fingers are bent angularly out of said prongs common plane, to one side thereof, and others of which are similarly bent out of said common plane, but in an opposite direction; said fingers lying wholly within the lateral limits as dened by said width of said prongs.

Y HOMER T. JENKINS;A

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS France Dec. 10, 1909 

